


Lola’s Musings

by MrToddWilkins



Series: The Spaceflight Experience [2]
Category: Multi-Fandom
Genre: #sts107neverforget, Bin Laden dies earlier, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Harry Potter Mania, Kid Fic, Kistler Aerospace K-1, Odesta, Schneiderverse, Sibling Fluff, TV References & Allusions, all the space geekery, alternate invasion of Iraq, jumping on the Mola pregnancy bandwagon, manned X-37, the early 2000s, this story is essentially a love letter to the 2000s
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2019-09-13 19:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16898367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrToddWilkins/pseuds/MrToddWilkins
Summary: Lola Pacini gathers observations like middle-aged single women gather cats





	1. January-July 1997

_**January 17** _

The first thing Lola remembers about that year is an explosion. She’s three years old (born on June 10,1993),and she lives in Titusville with her parents,her older sister Amanda,and their old dog Ernesto. Daddy’s at work today because of a rocket launch,and so Amanda,who just turned 9 and has a day off because of the launch,is babysitting Lola. 

The explosion comes at 11:28 am,and it takes everything Lola’s mind can think of to keep from crying. And then there’s the lady on the TV.

”We have had an anomaly....”

Outside there is a new cloud. Lola notices that unlike all other clouds,which are white,this one is orange,and what looks like little stars are trailing from it to the ground. 

That night,Mommy comes home first. Daddy doesn’t come home until the next day. 

_**February 11** _

Mommy takes Lola and Amanda outside early in the morning,while it’s still dark. In the distance,a great light appears,almost as if the Sun rose early. The light rises into the sky,and is accompanied by a great roaring noise.


	2. August 26,1997

Mommy takes Lola to daycare at 9:00. It’s held in an old schoolhouse in Titusville with chipped blue paint. She hands Lola off to Ms.Frey,the caretaker,who introduces Lola to the other kids:

  * Jae (short for Jaehaerys),whose father works on experimental propulsion systems
  * Miles,a little boy with a tie who’s playing with a rocket toy
  * Finn,Miles’ best friend
  * Annie,Finn’s neighbor
  * Megan,a girl from Lola’s street who doesn’t talk much
  * Tracey,Megan’s cousin
  * Cat,a new girl from Virginia with a rainbow lollipop
  * Hazel,whose parents work for the new United Space Alliance
  * Johanna,a slim girl with short hair
  * Janelle,her cousin
  * Ariana,another cousin of hers
  * Drew,an Asian girl who quickly pals up with Finn,Annie,and Cat
  * Trina,whose father is a pianist
  * Hayley,her neighbor
  * Chloe,another new girl 
  * Mavis,who likes to sing
  * Pixie,the youngest



There’s also Daeron,Jae’s older brother who’s in fifth grade and volunteering here,and Charlotte,another fifth grade volunteer.

Annie is a bright girl with tawny red hair,a nice smile,and a compliment for everybody. Lola thinks that she might be best friends with her someday. Cat and Johanna impress her the least. 

At lunchtime,she sits between Annie and Drew,Jae across from her accepting pickles from Nancy,an eighth grade volunteer,and the crust of her sandwich is a little more brittle than usual.


	3. September 1997

**_September 6_ **

Daddy comes home with an enthusiastic smile on his face. 

“Guess what?”

”What?”

“I’ve been assigned my first real launch! The Stardust space probe,due to launch in February 1999.”

They go to Denny’s to celebrate. That night,Lola has her first taste of apple pie.

**_September 25_ **

At daycare,the topic of conversation is that morning’s Shuttle launch. Annie saw it from the VAB,with her dad,who was on the _Mir_ space station earlier in the year.

 


	4. October 1997

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Friday before their off week begins - October 10,1997

For some reason,October 13 through 17 are off days. Lola wonders why. Annie tells her ‘It’s because of a rocket launch. Daddy told me it’s very important.’

The Friday before their off week begins,Ms.Frey shows them a slideshow about the planet Saturn. Apparently that’s where the rocket is going.


End file.
